November 2014

Dolby Labsin Burbank are a group of super smart engineers and around the holidays they want to have fun just like everyone else. They had their event, last December at theEquestrian Center in Burbank, a beautiful location for any significant event. I created a few well planned games like our “Blitz of Hitz” and our new game “Karaoke Wars” which made this event spectacular.

In the game “Blitz of Hitz” we have the tables compete against each other by having the table your sitting at listening to our custom clip and trying to guess the most artists and songs in that 1 minute clip. Sounds easy, but it’s not, and in 10 years nobody has guessed them all right. In that 1 minute clip we play about 35 songs, with about 5 famous movie lines and some random stuff thrown in, and you have about 3 minutes to conference with your table and write them down on the pad of paper we provided. We have about 4 different categories (50’s, 80’s, Disco & Rock), and this is a great way to get everybody to know each other before dinner and break the ice. You would think a company like Dolby Sounds would rule at this, but alas they where very normal.

Karaoke Wars was pretty easy, I threw random artist into a hat, Sinatra, Elvis, Gaga, Katy Perry, Michael, Madonna, Aretha, etc… and if you want to compete for the top prize you must reach in to the hat and sing what you grab. Sounds easy? Not really since you might grab someone you love, but most likely you’ll be singing Vanilla Ice, but man is it fun to watch. For a charge we bring our 7×10 screen and our 7000 song Karaoke library and you can sit back and watch the carnage begin. This is way better way to watch Karaoke, instead of being tortured by a bunch of wannabe’s who take thier selves way to seriously, this way people get to have some real fun. So enjoy my little video of some of the Dolby fun, and oh yeah the song is a Mashup called “Follow Me To A Wonderful World” (Elijah King vs. Louis Armstrong vs. Uncle Kracker vs. Bruno Mars vs. Rich & B*tch).

So I’m still trying to catch up with some of the past parties of 2010, and here is some more footage from a very creative and fun Bat Mitzvah at the Santa Monica Pier. If you familiar with the carousel at the Santa Monica Pier then you know what a cool place this is to have an event, and if your thinking about it, make sure you contact Jim Harris and he will hook you up. Tasty Sounds was picked for this event because Joanne Jellin ” the Grandmother” saw us in 2007 at Marissa Weinberg’s Mitzvah at the Calabasas Country Club and still remembered what a great time she had and wanted the same for Gaby, so we helped bring it all together. A big part of Gaby’s life was her passion for Broadway, Theatre and her friends who are associated with it, and we worked on making sure that we highlighted various moments throughout the evening, which is what a good DJ should do, (it’s not always about the dancing!).

Hannah Katz had her Bat Mitzvah at the Celebrations Room in Costa Mesa, which is under the Turnip Rose Umbrella, and it was a very magical afternoon. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this location yet please go see it and talk to Chrissy Sherbanee who is the Director of Special Events, and if your short on time watch the video, because I was trying to capture every angle possible. Chrissy and her staff are amazing and the effort they make will create a really smooth event. The Tasty Sounds crew are always on top of it, but these guys take it to the next level, (in a good way). Also on the party was one of our favorite Photographers Ron Levy, who always makes our day much easier. Go check out his website, and yes he’s in Orange County, but all my Los Angeles people should be checking him out, he’s that good. And finally Hannah & the whole Katz gang, what a great family. Hannah is like a young Selena Gomez, very poised throughout the whole day, not a misstep (even in 7 inch heels). Mazel Tov to everyone involved, including one of my new DJ’s, Franciswho recently moved here from Hawaii (an amazing battle/Scratch DJ) who got to participate in his very first Mitzvah. Now go watch the VIDEO!!!!

Well it has been a busy week for the Tasty Sounds Crew, we did a Bridal show in Woodland Hills on Sunday and exhibited at a Temple in Aliso Viejo/Newport Beach last night. I definitely see an all around lower turnout than in previous years, (I think I talked to 5 people last night) but at least (almost) everyone was Cool at both shows, and we appreciate everyone who stopped by our booth to talk to us.

The “Two Party Chix” Company – (949-766-9921, Linda & Rochelle) put the whole Bar/Bat Mitzvah show together at the Temple Beth El of the OC last night, and squeezed us in at the last minute. Big thanks to the both of them for all their hard work.

Another big thanks goes out to the “Here Comes The Brides” crew for a year of great shows in a very tough time. Sunday was the last show for 2009, and Winston was a huge help all day long. Micki and Elijah are the creators of this Bridal Event, which I think we handled 12 stage fashion shows for them in 2009 (whew!) The two of them and their great crew bring a very successful show to the Los Angeles area, and we look forward to the new & improved 2010 season, along with all the models & vendors involved in this show.

I thought this article was very interesting – Listening to music may not be as fun as having sex, but it triggers the same pleasure-inducing chemical in the brain. Neuroscientists at McGill University scanned the brains of volunteers as they listened to their favorite instrumental music, ranging from punk to Beethoven to bagpipes. The scans revealed that as a particularly thrilling moment of music approached , the part of the brain’s striatum region that’s involved in anticipation and prediction released the neuro-chemical dopamine–the same chemical that gives rise to pleasurable feelings associated with eating, sex, and psychoactive drugs. When the musical climax arrived, dopamine surged through a different part of the striatum. The study recruited only volunteers who claimed to get chills from certain musical passages, but researchers say the dopamine response is probably common to all listeners. Previous research has hinted at a link between dopamine and musical enjoyment, notes Harvard neurologist Gottfried Schlaug, who was not involved in the new finding, but the McGill study nails it.

I have handled the “Harbor Day School” family festival for 5 years with all sorts of fun from Kindergarten to 8th Grade. Sack Races, Water Balloon Toss, and of course Limbo. Check out our new Limbo Pole Holders, (don’t know if I can afford them though) :). If you need idea’s for games for an upcoming party email me for suggestions djalvis@tastysounds.com.